Mexborough and Swinton Times June 15, 1918

Bolton Military Medallist.

Corporal Thos. Cooke (Y. and L.), Chapel St., Bolton-on-Dearne, who, as recently reported, has been awarded the Military Medal. In a letter home he says the decoration was won while he was in charge of twelve men and a Stokes gun, during an attack.

The company were held up in a wood having met with strong resistance from the enemy, who threatened to flank them and cut them off.

Cook took up a position about a hundred yards from the enemy, who was using bombs freely. He got his gun into action, and did great execution among the German machine-gunners and bombers. Three Germans, came over, bringing a machine-gun with them. When he had exhausted his ammunition he went back for twenty rounds more, and fired that.

The effect of the local British attack of which this was an incident was to forestall and disorganize an intended German attack.

After the engagement two hundred prisoners we’re brought in.